Cupcakes & Yoga

Being a magazine junkie, I usually can be found on any given Saturday at a local bookstore scanning the latest mags.  Recently I was flipping through Body + Soul (because there was a yoga article in it) and stumbled upon an entrepreneur article about Erin McKenna and her vegan bakery:  Babycakes NYC. 

Curious to learn more I checked out her website www.babycakesNYC.com and can’t wait to check out the bakery the next time I’m in the city.  BabyCakes offers all natural, organic sweet treats including breads, cookies, muffins, pie.  Oh yeah, and cupcakes!  Babycakes is now on my list of “things to do” when I next visit NYC -yoga, shopping and an afternoon treat at Babycakes.  Not going to NYC anytime soon?  Order online and have them shipped to you. 

Total side note:  the homepage of www.babycakesNYC.com  is adorable. 

What does RYT mean?

RYT® stands for Registered Yoga Teacher and is a registered trademark of the Yoga Alliance.  The Yoga Alliance is a non-profit organization that sets the educational standards for the yoga community. 

To be an RYT, teachers must complete a list of educational standards at a yoga school that is recognized and approved by the Yoga Alliance.  Requirements to be an RYT include training in yoga techniques, teaching methods and ethics, anatomy & physiology and yoga philosophy.  Once a certification is received, a teacher is then eligible to register with the Yoga Alliance. 

All RYTs must complete at least 200 hours or more of the approved training.  To learn more or to find a Registered Yoga Teacher in your area, visit www.yogaalliance.org

For the Snail Mail Yogi…

It’s a pleasant surprise when you actually receive a handwritten card via mail these days.  For the yogi in all of us, it’s even sweeter to receive a yoga greeting card. 

My friend Kate and her grandmother, Lulu, have produced their first round of sand dollar cards.  Sand dollar cards are a line of yoga greeting cards that are meant to capture the levity and beauty of asanas.

Pick up your pen (instead of your laptop) and reach for one of these cards to ink your note.  Surprise someone special in your life and send a card “just because”.  Send a thank you note using a card that expresses you. 

Sand dollar cards can be found at http://sanddollarcards.googlepages.com/home And from Kate and Lulu:  Bhakti, Shanti and Happiness to you all!

How does Yoga differ from Pilates?

As a yoga teacher, I’m asked this question often.  Here’s a great article that explains yoga vs. pilates:  http://healing.about.com/od/pilates/a/yogavspilates.htm

More Yoga, More Sex

If you need an incentive to try yoga, read on. 

“Commonly taught yoga postures such as warrior I & II, fierce pose, locust, butterfly, upward facing dog and full wheel, are designed specifically for opening the hips, groin and pelvic area where these very important blood vessels are located.  On a psychological note, yoga also relaxes the mind and reduces stress, which is key for any successful sex life.   Thinking about exercise from a “sexual healing” perspective may get those of us who keep putting it off until next week, month or year, that extra incentive to get things into motion now.” 

Full article:  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251805,00.html

Valentine’s Day in Washington D.C.

It’s Valentine’s Day, it’s icy outside and most of us in the D.C. Metro area are homebound for the day.  For some today’s weather may be considered a disappointment –delayed roses, frozen chocolates (if you left them in the car overnight) and cancelled dinner plans.  For others, the ice is an excuse to work in the comfort of home and reflect upon what nature just delivered.  Personally I can’t stop looking out the window at the bright snow on the ground and icicles dangling off my car.      

Make this a Valentine’s Day to remember.  Get a little work done and then do something to celebrate this snowy Valentine’s Day.  Find a way to relax your heart with the beauty of Mother Nature.  Go outside with your partner and breathe in the fresh, crisp air.  Play with the kids breaking off icicles and making snowballs.  Take some time for yourself and practice yoga inside next to the window.  Use the time you’d normally be stuck in traffic to sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and make white paper snowflakes and red hearts –do you remember how? 

Today is truly one of the few days you’ll get to do all of the above in the same day and not feel guilty.  Relax, reflect and enjoy! 

Get To Know Yourself -huh?

I recently was explaining to a prospective client how yoga differs from exercise. In short, I found myself saying “yoga introduces you to YOU”.

On the surface, most people new to yoga simply view it as a physical activity like running or bicycling. Sure, yoga has a physical aspect to it; though at the heart of the practice, yoga is about exploring and observing ourselves from the inside out. The internal component is what makes yoga so much more than another exercise regime.

As individuals, we spend so much time focusing ourselves “outward” in our day-to-day lives: working to meet deadlines and exceed project goals, taking care of others (spouse, kids, friends, pets, etc.), paying the bills, running errands, etc. All of this outward exertion builds up stress in our bodies and minds. For most, a 5 mile run along the Potomac or an hour SPIN class will help reduce some of the stress, but the tension in the body and mind still remains. Even more, as life moves on the tension and emotional stress continue to build within us.

Yoga is about “undoing” and bringing the body (your external Self) and mind (your internal Self) in back together. Yoga introduces you to YOU. Huh? When you first step into a yoga class, you’ll naturally be focused on the poses (known as asanas). The more you practice yoga, the more you’ll start to see the asanas are just the beginning of your yoga journey. Breath is the key to bringing your mind and body together, both on and off your yoga mat. Linking the breath into your yoga flow will make your practice meditative. As you maintain poses longer and connect the breath while holding the pose, you’ll start to truly become “present” in your yoga practice.

Off the mat, focusing on your breath will open you eyes and mind to life. Take a 10 minute walk in your neighborhood and simply focus on your breath. Walking with focus on your breath vs. your “to do” list is a simply way to get in touch with yourself. In a stressful situation, tap into the sound and feel of your breath before you react. Simply see the power your breath has to your mind and respond with a clearer picture to the situation at hand.

As you learn to use your breath to guide you, you’ll become more present in every situation in your life and get in touch with yourself. Try it!

Karmapalooza 2007

The 4th annual Karmapalooza festival is happening worldwide on March 17, 2007.  Check out www.karmapalooza.com to see how you can participate in Karma Yoga and support this global event by practicing yoga at your local studio. 

Better yet, if your favorite local studio isn’t already involved, take the lead.  Work with them to organize the mini Sun Salutation-A-Thon to bring yogis together in your community and raise money for Trees for the Future.  Now that’s Karma Yoga!

lululemon – first full-time retail location in the D.C. metro area

lululemon athletica
Market Common Clarendon
2847 Clarendon Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22201

http://www.lululemon.com/arlington/clarendon